I have owned a 39 ft Folkes steel hulled sailboat for over 23 years. Fully loaded with provisions it weights 23,000 on the crane scales. All boats have inherent issues with hull materials, whether it is osmosis (fiberglass), rust (steel) or corrosion (aluminum) . Proper grounding of all electric systems and especially if shore power is used is the most important thing for any boat, as a lot of damage is done at the dock. This applies to all boat materials. Cruising carries risks and if you are into going into places that are more risky such as remote areas (such as BC coasts) or areas of quick weather changes, hull material is an important consideration. Steel hulls can be repaired quickly and effectively without storing chemicals onboard. My alternator system is a Mobi-Weld system (90 amp Baush alternator with a 180 DC welder). I have two 2 by 2 steel plates under the floor that can be screwed to the hull or welded on. Mass produced fiberglass hulls have long moments on their keels (we are not talking about older full keels but fin type). It is this long moment of the fin keel striking a protrusion that is critical for these boats. The fin is forced back and the keel box is ripped out in front and the interior structure is pushed up and the hull becomes holed. With the Folkes we hit a concrete structure that was not on the charts or chart plotter at 6 knots and the result was a 3 inch dent at the base of the keel. The boat was stopped immediately and it was quite violent in nature. If this had been an fiberglass boat that would be the end of our cruising. Most steel hulled boats of 36 ft or more have steel coach and decks as well. The old days of steel hulls often had wood however this creates its own issues. The steel hull interior has to be zinc epoxy coated before insulation is sprayed in with fire retardant foam. Hull and deck fittings are not welded on most times and are threaded holes with the bolt head on the inside and the foam sprayed over them so as not to sweat. This allows quick removal of all hardware for maintenance ( such as painting etc). I lived on my boat for 17 years (full time for over 7) and in winter the boat was at as low as -40 and up to +45 and was always comfortable. The fiberglass boats that I lived on always sweated on the inside and black mold was always an issue. As to the price.....a good used steel hull is generally cheaper than that of a similar sized fiberglass boat. The hull is about 1/3 of the price of the total boat....

I love my steel sailboat - Bruce Roberts Spray 42, coming up to 50 years old and still in good condition. One thing is that even if you do get some rust you either clean it up and paint, or cut out the rust and weld some new metal in - it’s not that big a deal. Another thing, avoid sprayed on foam insulation as it hides rust.

With the new fenomeen of Orcas demolishing glasfiber rudders and smashing sailboat’s steel sound a lot more safe

Enjoyed the episode. I have owned a steel boat for 28 years and I was getting ready for the typical steel bashing video, you did your homework on this episode and really portrayed the benefits. I have 40 lbs zink on bottom, yes keeping up on maintenance is the key, finding problems before they become problems is the key. The hardest thing is keeping up with the ugly cosmetic bleeders, they are a cosmetic problem and can make a boat look ugly fast. Also you will find a steel boat is dry, I have zero cabin or hull drips even during a storm where most people usually find all the leaks on their boat. I hit and bounced across a reef years ago at 6 knots and just had couple small dents in bottom of the keel. A steel boat has to be part of you, not a launch and forget about boat. As always I enjoy your reviews!

9:46 photo was a garcia out of aluminum but interesting video thanks!

I have plans for a 27’ Bruce Roberts spray that I was going to build until Larry Pardey told me a couple decades ago, at the Annapolis boat show, not to build it. He said he knows people sailing them and they don’t want to come about easily. The most important thing to check for on a used steel boat is the bond of the interior spray foam insulation to the steel hull. The hull must be coated with epoxy before the foam is sprayed on or the boat will rust from the inside out. Too many people think they can just spray the foam on bare metal but, the foam breathes and allows air to get at the steel. If the steel isn’t primed properly the interior epoxy paint will lift off the steel and the steel will rust unseen under the foam. If anyone is interested Brent Swain, on Vancouver island, has designed a number of steel boats using a frameless origami method. Darts are cut in the steel plates which are then pulled together and welded. The darts are welded up and they end up under the waterline so they can’t be seen. He claims he can weld up a hull and deck structure in two weeks.

I'm down here in Grenada on my 34ft Thomas Colvin Steel schooner Blue Dragon. Crossed the Atlantic twice in her now. Go Steel go anywhere.

Have a look at Sailing Emerald Steel where you can follow the construction of the craft from ages ago and how they setup their equipment especially the water-maker using off-the-shelf components available from the manufacturer. Even the mast is from an ordinary lumberyard. .. Cheers to you ..

You keep showing the British Steel, moored in the Dart. My wife and I had friends who lived aboard this and we were fortunate enough to spend Dartmouth regatta, while on our honeymoon. 2007 happy days.

The guy in the slip next to me has one of those home built steel sailboats, straight indestructible monster, and doesn’t really do much maintenance or visit it often these days. It’s still fine (freshwater here), but every time a storm rolls through I’m worried it’s gonna break free and smash my little Catalina into a million pieces lmfao.

I have built a few steel yachts,don't use spray foam,if you use a good epoxy primer like interplus it will last for years,and no,steel masts are not a problem, you can weld all your fittings on,read Tom Colvins Steel boatbuilding,and a portable welder can be run off a generator,like a unimig,180 . Plastic boats make good fenders,until you rub through them.

s/v Ravenwing is a Bruce Roberts 44ft CC cutter rigged steelie. Steel deck with AL deck house and cockpit. Heavy urethane gasket between. Keel shoe is 3/4" plate holding 13,500lb of lead. Bow stem 4" sched.80 pipe. I carry a welder, generator and steel plate. A needle gun is priceless, along with a galvanic leak detector system. Ultrasonic thickness sensors are cheap now, so are fiber optic cameras to look in spaces too small for your pointy little head to fit. Some of it was once "rocket science" but is now readily usable and very helpful.

I had a 54 ft round bilge steel Vandestat cutter , wooden mast & boom , Galvanized rigging , Canvas main , Cotton head sails in the early 70s (Couldnt afford anything newer, All second hand) . Great boat sailed like a witch in a blow , Never felt safer then i had on that boat & have had a few more since , Maintenance wasn't a real problem , Living on board you tended to be on top of it .

I was very lucky enough to find a lightly used steel boat with almost no surface rust. Now the alterations begin.

Thank you very much for this episode! I'd like to mention one important advantage of the steel/aluminum bots. All of them have very little probability of leeks. Almost everything can be welded directly to the deck. I have even seen the KMY yachts from time to time are not using the tracks for the jib but loop blocks attached to welded bars with holes. I also would like to suggest creating a separate video about the aluminum bots. I think in many cases, they can offer the best tradeoff between fibreglass and steel. They are lighter, easier to maintain than steel, and everything, including the superstructure, can be made from one material. P.S. I just bought "The Complete Guide to METAL BOATS - for those who are interested in building in steel and aluminum because I'm seriously considering making an aluminum cruising boat. It looks very promising, but I will write more in the future.

I play golf with the owner and founder of a company that does business with Chevron and BP to protect their steel His ceramic coating bonds to steel and prevents corrosion permanently. Antimicrobial and fire resistant. Dries in 5 minutes

I have no issues welding without a welder just need 24 volt battery power + on the steel hull also has bilge keels so don't have to be hauled out just find a beach on high tide as long as the next high tide is higher or don't go in as far in and and don't need to get on the hard But yes got to keep a diligent eye on the zinc

Excellent video!, Very well thought out, scripted and communicated! You have become so much more polished in your presentations since the early days... Hats off

Steel is cooler than fiberglass in the tropics. The cool seawater cools the hull. No insulation is cool due to the steel hull becoming close to temperature of the water. Biggest advantage of metal boats is safer in lightening storms as a strike on the hull goes thru the hull more likely than through you. Also, repair is prefect if you get a hole in the boat. The boat was built by welding panels together and that is exactly how a repair is done: cut out the bad spot and weld in a panel. The repair is as good as new construction. So, metal boats give better safety, are more resistant to collision damage and scrapes, the layout can be changed easily - cut out the old, weld in the new. Rust is seldom the problem with boats that stay in the water - they actually rust much faster when out of the water or shipwrecked on a shore. And a perfectly round metal (steel or aluminum) can be constructed to look exactly like a fiberglass boat - round everywhere. The real downside of steel construction is it is more expensive than fiberglass and too heavy if the boat is not at least 35 feet in length. I'm talking cruising boats, not racing boats where you would want carbon fiber. One other downside I need to mention is that most marina repair staff are unfamiliar with steel hulls so you need to become a little expert yourself to tell them what to do, how to paint, etc.

Like we say in the cycling world, "steel is real"!

Nice job. Might have liked something on how much difference corten steel does or doesn't make. At one point was quite a fan of Dennis Ganley steel designs (Pacemaker 40, Shadow 34 esp). His performed quite well aided by fairly light scantlings that a lot of home builders increased. Gifted designer. Died too young. Ganley's specified scantlings are probably plenty, unless you've lost a mm to rust. And on rust I think the main thing I'd want in a steel boat is the ability to access all areas for inspection and welding (without setting the boat on fire).

Back in 1970 Chay Blyth's British Steel became world famous for the first "wrong way" circumnavigation.

I have crossed the Pacific on a 30ft steel boat built in the Neatherlands. The weight added to seaworthiness and I did the 2300mi trip to the Marquesas in 26 days. The 40’ fiberglass boats did it in 20-22 days… At that point not such a big difference, eh? I loved my boat!!!!! It was run onto the rocks full speed in the Panama canal by the Pilot. A dent in the hull, that was it.

Good episode! Maybe next episode on Aluminum. My boat is a custom Cutter rigged 5086 aluminum sailboat and I love it. Looked at steel and shifted to aluminum after looking at the strength weight numbers. Cutting aluminum is a breeze. Marine aluminum is impervious to salt water. My boat is very fast for its size 44' in light air.

I had the opportunity to buy a 60 foot steel ketch about 15 years back that was way below it's actual value and I'm still kicking myself to this day for not buying it. It had the most beautiful hull I'd ever seen on a steel built hull.

As we are currently "kind-of" boat shopping for our liveaboard cruiser (upgrading from our current Catalina 25 here in the Great Lakes), and due to having boy and girl teenagers, the layout of the Dufour CT12000 is perfect for us (one main cabin, 2 identical single cabins, vbirth as workbench/great tool room). HOWEVER, they are rare. And not cheap! We haven't found another layout we like as of yet... but Steel may be the best way to go if we decide to pull the trigger and upgrade to our cruiser...I can weld/do whatever, but that may be the best option for us to design and/or build the layout we need instead of searching for the layout we want in fiberglass (because there are very few of the layout we would like under 50ft...) Thanks for the vid man! Now your going to have me expanding my horizons while on the search! -Nick Beaver Island, Lake Michigan

The theme music screams both Canada and the Bahamas at the same time. Like some sort of magic fusion.

The thing that impressed me most about steel sailboats is that all the deck hardware - shrouds, cleats, winches, tracks, travelers, stanchions, etc - can be wended on. No through-bolts. No leaks. You can have a completely dry bilge.

I love George Buhler's designs. While not sailboats, his Diesel Duck series are largely built in steel and he designed a supplemental sail into most of them. On another subject, I have a Deko brand stick welder that I carry with me on my work van. It is about the size of a shoebox and it will operate on 120 or 240.

All steel Bruce Roberts 38' cutter. 1991 performance cruiser in great condition. She is 6: draft and sail wonderful $45k

Yes! One of my best friends owns a Samson (?) 60 or 61 ketch rigged ferro boat. I can tell you one thing-it is HEAVY! Can’t wait to see more on cement.

My boat is fibreglass and she's 8,000lbs above her listed weight and she sits above her original waterline. She's considered an "Ultra Heavy" displacement boat. I heard steel boats rust from the outside in. Sailing Emerald Steel is an excellent you-tube series if you're interested in steel sailboats.

Sailing Melody is a good steel sailboat channel.

Revolution 24 and 29 foot scow bow hulls are made of metal. Scow hulls have really caught my attention. Could you please do a video about the pros and cons of this hull design

Hey! DANGAR STU made a cameo! I love that channel, been watching him since he started. I've never sailed a steel boat, but I have worked aboard many steel commercial trawlers. I've also worked wood and fiberglass boats also, steel seems to ride better in swells. never felt safer than I did aboard them. Only thing I haven't got experience with is ferro-cement, and I believe I'll keep it that way. 🤣 maybe when you release that video I'll learn something to change my mind. I nearly did it last year, but chickened out. 38' Samson FC sloop, beautiful boat inside and out but I just didn't have the cajones.

Great stuff as always.

Love this series on different sailboats. Have learned a bunch. Could you do a video on airex core sailboats like the southern cross 31?

The irony of fiberglass in blue water boats is not lost on me. The biggest advantage of glass is the ability to mass manufacture it at a low cost but blue waters aren't mass manufactured. It defeats all of the biggest advantages.

Great information, keep doing with "everyhing you need to know" even if you feel like repeating some things sometime. Super good source of information for wannabe world cruisers researching their way into sailing.

I found a very lovely Ted Brewer 38 in great condition for $89K on the west coast. I couldn’t pull the trigger fast enough and someone else snapped it up. Now I’m looking for another. Not easy to find.

i'm considering building my boat. For a long time steel was the plan (it is less learning for me since i was kind of metalworker in the days). Steel can give You everything from better strength, trough less weight or great heat dissipation (think tropics). Though steel can't get You all this thing at the same time. There is one catch though: the thinner is Your steel element, the harder it is to repair it properly. To get something afloat You can use sheets as thin as a beer can (or even thinner), to be able to weld it, You need it thicker (the thicker, the easier to work with). But at the same time weight increase.

When I was younger and building my dream sail boat, and owning a fiberglass boat at that time, a steel design was/ is the only way to go … less redundant activities ( not having to. 1st build the mold, lay up the glass, pulling the mold, AND THAN DISPOSING OF THE MOLD. ). Life, dollars, and a place (space). To build never happened until I. Was way too old to walk a deck safely … hence I’m for all the arguments why steel is a better material for building pleasure boats.

I can weld... I retire cars and I know rust LOL. I have looked into steel for my future boat purchase and ultimately it's a no for me in terms of a used one. If you did for example have a scratch through that amazing paint job... the speed rust can set in and be very damaging in warm salty water is amazing. And as you said you need to be able to inspect it... from the inside. I guess if I was building a boat then maybe... the appeal is there. But equally so it is in carbon fibre... way stronger and lighter than steel. PS love you films

steel hull with alum cabin top, SV Seeker

Your welder can also be a backup generator. (For the larger vessels)

Great info, cheers

Nitpick: You had a picture of a Garcia... To my knowledge they build exclusively from aluminum. Review of their boats and the other French aluminum boats (Allures, Boreal, Alubat) would be appreciated.

Perfect for a motor-sailer absolutely (Nordhaven.) Emerald Steel is great KZfaq channel on how steel simply works better particularly in port but of cruising down into Mexico to get work done on such vessels is unique to West Coast sailing although I think that is starting to change along the US East Coast and into the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico for obvious reasons but in particular SpaceX and dramatically improved state of the art welding and affixing. *"No replacement for displacement"* so says the US Navy which seems to me a good resource anyways.

Really enjoyed this one, learned a lot. Can you also do a video on Aluminum sail boats

If you are not the original owner, the problem is the number of hidden interior spaces where corrosion has taken hold.. some of this is very difficult to find.

Odd Life Crafting spent a couple of years reviving a steel sailboat that they bought for a steal. They're channel is worth checking out if you're interested in some of the particulars of steel hauls.

Fronius now make battery powered caddy stick welders! Amazing! Stick welders can weld dirty painted steel hull hapily as its leeking, and you will get home to repair it proper! Go the steel!

Great video, i have a steel boat and i see some of the antofowling wearing off and seeing the steel hull exposed.. what do you recomend for antifowling paint?

TIG welding in ss or just steel takes some training, skill, time, feel or touch etc... but the market would be willing to pay for such skills. Not a bad to suppliment you income with a specialist skill. Great video! NOW you got me thinking. 1/8 high strength steel, catamaran (W/ RETRACTABLE centerboards) may be the right combo of form and function.

Corton steel or flame sprayed steel makes a huge difference.

If you want to see a dramatic approach to steel hull forming ..take a look ay explosive forming... Pressure forming for steel..it can behave like plastic. 😲 Though it was used for Aluminium hull forming ... now they can use pumped hyroforming. It works for Steel and stainless steel... For smaller volume production it is still quicker and more cost effective up to certain sizes.

Just saw a shocking video I wouldnt have expected about a steel boat. A couple sailing across the Pacific in a Cat rescued the crew of a steel boat that had hit (they suspect) a submerged shipping container, the keel tore right off flooding the boat, it sank in less than a minute, the crew barely making it to the life raft and cutting it free as the ship went below the waves, they were shocked, luckily the Cat couple were only 15km away and another boat even closer that rescued the people within an hour - lucky - this was concerning to me as I understood steel boats were supposed to be very resilient.

I buy one sailboat in Sweden in May 2022. 41ft long, made in 2000. She have 8,3ton, Volvo Penta 36 Hp, . She stay in back yard 12 years. I must repare. But good school for my. Price 3300€.

Great video, but the two boats you show at 9:42 are aluminum boats (the Garcia and the Allures).

Nice job on Steel Boats! How about a discussion about Aluminum like the Dashew FPBs or those built in the Netherlands.

Hi! Just to tell you that I love your show. By the way Garcia sailboats are made out of aluminum. I also think that steel boats rust also bye the interior which is for me the worst because it is harder to control. Anyway thanks for your channel. I always wait for it every week. Bye!

The Dutch and Germans and Swedes typically are masters of steel hulls.. both in terms of shaping the steel and the selection of the right grades of steel..the top Dutch hulls will roll a hull plate to vary the thickness like medieval armour It tends to be tank steel... borderline stainless ... Its pretty tough stuff. 😏 Controling condensation is an issue but the good news is cork glued to steel is a very happy arrangement it will last for many decades in sailing Melody 🇬🇧 they found thin cork 40plus yrs old glued to steel and it was in perfect condition and this boat had been abandoned for years ..even closed cell Spray foam im not so sold on.. also because plastics and foams de gas for a long time and can burn to produce some very toxic fumes. Steel boats i know are Oddlife crafting. Sailing melody and Sailing Dawn Hunters kzfaq.info/get/bejne/p72JkpSay93Uk58.html its Dutch.. Project brupeg have their trawler/dive boat. Capt Q has looked over a nice steel yatch or two the first one a world cruiser had been ambushed by pirates of the coast of Aden by AK toting locals in wooden boats... the owner used his yatch to slice straight through the one pirate boat.😎 Q. also looked at a wonderful traditional Dutch motor sailor ..i think it was a Puffin. 🧙‍♂️ Gandalf ... kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hqd4ptJ4u6ypeXU.html Dutch vintage fast. Why the dutch keep running aground kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qpN0ZL2Anrq-dY0.html DIY 78ft kzfaq.info/get/bejne/p72JkpSay93Uk58.html

hi mate .. i wonder if delos wanting to change to steel is they may be wanting to extend their cruising grounds into colder waters?.

If amel made a steel amel 50 I'd pre order one instantly 😢

wise words sir

Barry form Adventures of an old Seadog has a steel boat and he is constantly scraping and cleaning up the rust on his boat while in port. I am not sure of the inherent time saving of a steel boat.

The steel boats rust on the inside as well as the outside, and you can't always see everywhere on the inside.

'Adventures of an old Seadog' will introduce you to Barry's steel cruiser.

Do you have or are you planing to make a video about aluminum boats as well ? Excellent video !

I don't want to be mean but as someone who has cruised on a steel boat for the last 16 years I don't agree with a lot of this information. I'm not sure if this fellow knows much about them. I'll give just one example of many. Most of our boat has 3 coats of epoxy and 2 coats of polyurethane. These paints are not particularly expensive. What is extremely expensive in time and money is dismantling the boat and repairing rust before it spreads. This is a huge and constant job. Sandblasting inside your yacht is not fun or easy! Sure it's strong which is very nice as we are sailing in remote areas surrounded by reefs, and doing night passages straight through areas full of huge floating trees, but steel yachts are FAR more work to maintain than fiberglass boats.

Holly cow! I've been watching your channel form the beginning and I'll always look at you're subs and views 15K-35K views. Today I saw your vid and it had 128K views in 17 minutes. 10 minutes later your at 165K. With 25 likes. Man you got to be getting hit by a BOT or something, no offense meant. In any case, hope this is good news! Keep up the great work, thanks.

Moitessier said: even a monkey can maintain a steel boat as long as he can hold a brush and paint…

Have you looked at steel or aluminum trimerans? Nick a naval architect from DMS marine has pointed out fibreglass is flammable in his episode on commercial ships. 10:00

The Navy uses impressed current cathodic protection for vessels, can you use that on a sailboat?

Great informations! Sir, what do you know about plywood-fiberglass or plywood-epoxy boats to 100ft? It's trimaran, foam insulation, Florida-Bahamas region, motor cruiser carter. TNX! 👌

2 or 3 12V lead-acid batteries in series can be the power source for a stick welder.

What about cathodic protection like what gas stations use on in ground steel gas tanks?

Guess you're referring to general steel, never mentioned aluminum? Having owned both glass & ali smaller boats, for confidence in unknown waters, + lower maint, I’m definitely leaning towards Ali.

I thought hull slap was an issue with steel hulls - noise created by waves hitting the hull …

Hi mate..U being a sparky .. I've always wondered how a boat (and crew) is protected/insulated from lighting strike ?

Nice too show aluminum boats for steel

Thank you for your presentation about steel sailboats. Are there any good manufactures you could suggest?

Some of the boats shown are in fact made of aluminium aren't they (the Garcia shown around 10:00)?

Just a caution about over zinking your vessel, if Grp not a big problem, but on steel, wood or ferro cement the results of over zinking can be expensive and cause catastrophic damage. Do not put too many zinks on your boat.

Even though the expense would be nuts, but could you imagine a Titanium sail boat. That'd be a one and done for life vessel.

That's a great looking design at minute 4:49-50. Anyone know what it is?

Of course steel is a GREAT hull material ships have been made of steel for hundreds of years. Commercial fishing boats are almost always steel hull boats. But..... don’t neglect your steel hull boat or it will be a rust stained mess in no time at all. But just because it shows rust stains does not mean it’s unsafe look at any fishing fleet just about every boat in the fleet has rust stains running down the hulls. BUT there are several reasons a steel hull boat was not in my search. One was most steel hull boats are way larger then I want. Second was there are a lot more fiberglass classic cruising boats out there in good shape around the 30ft size I was looking for. BUT if your looking for a 40ft plus boat to take you around the world steel and also aluminum boats are great option. At that size and above you see a lot more steel hull boats.

Ships are steel for a good reason

There are quite a few steel hulled boats and ships that are over a hundred years old. Most commercial vessels are still made of steel .. Heres a German adventure yatch that partners Steel with Cork .. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/kNyjdsmmrL6wgWg.html In the details you will find the link to the owners web site for the boat and thats available in English.

Hi Tim, just a question, if you would have 100,000$ usd budget which boat would you purchase? I’m moving to Florida from Canada with my wife and two kids, and I’m planning to buy a boat within that budget, but the choice is incredibly big, I like to have something fast fun and good enough to cross the Atlantic with my family. Priority are: safety (reliable), speed, comfort, low in maintenance. I know you can’t have everything but you get my point. I start sailing at 12 in Italy from Optimist all the way up to racing on Dart 18, also did windsurfing until today. No big experience on big sailboats but I’m a fast learner. The ultimate goal is cross the Atlantic with my family. Thank you, love your vids

Have you seen or watched Breaking Waves Sailing on KZfaq? She's front the St. Mary's area (ONTARIO)

MJ Sailing used to sail an aluminum boat. i wonder what they're like?

Any ferrocement sailboats

When might you be taking Lady K out of Canada back South?

And what about coppernickel?

youtube search wayward life. Those kids bought a steel norman and have had 2yrs of headaches

Who makes the best wishbone cat boat?

Paint coatings are extremely expensive, and there's a potential to jack them even higher or ban effective chemistry. Steel is only effective at cargo ship dimensions. Why do most cargo ships go to the scrappers in 30 years? Plumbing and painting. I donnt want a sheet steel trailer on land and I don't want a steel sailboat. It's a ticking time bomb waiting to get rust cancer.

I have a 42ft twin keel steel hull Reinkee might be misspelled. Hull is in good shape interior needs to be gutted and redone. Picked up for $7500.00 my project for the next 3 yrs

Check out SV Seeker, a home built 72ft steel sailboat built on youtube over about a decade. if i were buying new i'd go aluminum,